Time to Breakthrough

Right now, there are people waiting on parole who have been incarcerated for over half their lives. These people are "Youthful Offenders," and were convicted as adults while they were under 20 years of age. Under current law, there is a program for these Youthful Offenders who have since served over 20 years of their sentence. Upon completion of this program—which focuses on reentry preparation and developing independence—participants are eligible for early parole.

However, there is a snag in the system. Under current Colorado law, the only person who can approve their early parole is Governor Polis—and he hasn't done so since 2023. As a result, there are program graduates who have been prepared to reenter their community for years, but remain incarcerated, waiting on his decision. Senate Bill SB26-158 would alleviate this backlog by enabling Governor Polis to share this responsibility with the parole board, allowing the board to make a decision on program graduates' parole after 60 days if the Governor has not done so.

In addition to authorizing this collaboration, the bill adds trauma-informed curriculum to the existing program, helping participants work through the impact of crime and prepare to reenter their community compassionately and safely.

YOU can help make this solution a reality by encouraging Governor Polis to sign this bill into law. (See second image for contact info) Let's take action together to support our returning neighbors!

We welcomed home three graduates of Breakthrough’s program last week! Each of these returning neighbors will now receive support from Breakthrough’s reentry team as they establish stable housing, secure employment, and reconnect with their community.

Alex, D, and Tammi, we are so proud of you! Welcome home!

Want to help support Breakthrough’s reentry services? Visit our website to donate! timetobreakthrough.org/donate/

“Life is a lesson you learn as you go. Sometimes you fail, sometimes you rise, but in order to succeed, you gotta fail.”

Lifechanging realizations like this are why our program works. (We like to call them Breakthrough Moments.)

Lasting change comes from within, and discovering the “why” looks different for each person. Breakthrough guides participants to dive deeper to reclaim their purpose and their future. Everyone’s story is different, but hope is the key to each one.

At Breakthrough, we are so proud of our participants like Tommy, who have reentered their community with hope and resilience. Read our interview with Tommy above.

Want to get involved? Visit our website to learn more about opportunities to volunteer or donate.

At Breakthrough, we know that reentry support is critical for reducing recidivism (return to incarceration).

Jacob, one of our participants, was able to obtain employment just 4 days after release! Employment remains one of the strongest protective factors against recidivism. Success stories like this are made possible with reentry support.

Governor Polis has a bill on his desk that would support the Department of Corrections as they prepare returning neighbors for release, including providing individuals with valid state IDs—a necessary document for securing housing and employment in many cases.

Check out our previous post for more information on the Reentry Readiness Act and how YOU can help get it signed into law to support people like Jacob as they step into their second chance!

At Breakthrough, we believe people are more than their past. One of the most powerful parts of our work is bringing volunteers directly into correctional facilities to engage with participants firsthand through mock interviews, resume review, encouragement, and support as they prepare for reentry.

On June 9th at Arkansas Valley Correctional Facility, we will conduct Mock Interviews for 70 participants! Just two days later, on June 11th at La Vista Correctional Facility, we will host another 50 participants.

Volunteer registration deadlines are approaching quickly: May 25th [MONDAY] for Arkansas Valley and May 27th [WEDNESDAY] for La Vista.

Our volunteers are truly the “secret sauce” behind this work. Your presence reminds participants that they are cared for, supported, and that there is a community ready to welcome them home.

Will you help us make these the largest volunteer events in Breakthrough history?

🗓️ Sign Up: https://timetobreakthrough.org/events

✏️ Sign Up Troubleshooting Tips:
The form works best on desktop (not mobile) with the Chrome browser. If you experience issues, try clearing your cache, waiting a couple extra seconds for the form to load, or checking back in 1-2 hours to see if the issue has resolved. Please reach out to [email protected] if you have any questions.

‼️DEADLINE EXTENDED!‼️

We still need over 20 volunteers for our Mock Interview event, so we have extended the registration deadline until:

🗓️ MONDAY, May 25th

See details below:

Sign up closes MONDAY for one of the largest volunteer events in Breakthrough’s history — and we need your help!

On June 9th at Arkansas Valley Correctional Facility, we will conduct Mock Interviews for 70 participants! As always, our goal is to maintain a 1:1 volunteer-to-participant ratio to ensure every participant receives individualized support, encouragement, and attention.

Right now, we only have 50 of our 70 volunteer spots filled for Arkansas Valley — so we need your help filling these rooms with encouragement, support, and community.

Sign up closes MONDAY, May 25th.

This is also a wonderful opportunity to bring friends, colleagues, or team members with you — increasing both your impact and our numbers.

🗓️ Sign Up at timetobreakthrough.org/events

✏️ Sign Up Troubleshooting Tips:
The form works best on desktop (not mobile) with the Chrome browser. If you experience issues, try clearing your cache, waiting a couple extra seconds for the form to load, or checking back in 1-2 hours to see if the issue has resolved. Please reach out to [email protected] if you have any questions.

‼️DEADLINE EXTENDED!‼️

We are still seeking volunteers for our Mock Interview events, so we have extended the registration deadlines until:

🗓️ MONDAY, May 25th for AVCF

🗓️ WEDNESDAY, May 27th for LVCF

See details below:

Breakthrough is preparing for two of the largest volunteer events in our organization’s history — and we need your help to make the events as impactful as they can be.

On June 9th at Arkansas Valley Correctional Facility, we will conduct Mock Interviews for 70 participants! Just two days later, on June 11th at La Vista Correctional Facility, we will host another 50 participants. As always, our goal is to maintain a 1:1 volunteer-to-participant ratio to ensure every participant receives individualized support, encouragement, and attention during their Mock Interviews.

Right now, we only have 50 of our 70 volunteer spots filled for Arkansas Valley and 45 of our 50 spots filled for La Vista — so we need your help filling these rooms with encouragement, support, and community. Volunteer registration deadlines are also approaching quickly: May 25th [MONDAY] for Arkansas Valley and May 27th [WEDNESDAY] for La Vista.

These are also wonderful opportunities to bring friends, colleagues, or team members with you — increasing both your impact and our numbers.

Will you help us make these the largest volunteer events in Breakthrough history?

🗓️ Sign Up at http://timetobreakthrough.org/events

✏️ Sign Up Troubleshooting Tips:
The form works best on desktop (not mobile) with the Chrome browser. If you experience issues, try clearing your cache, waiting a couple extra seconds for the form to load, or checking back in 1-2 hours to see if the issue has resolved. Please reach out to [email protected] if you have any questions.

We are proud to support the Reentry Readiness Act (HB26-1256), a bill that would help released individuals with their transition and play an important role in reducing recidivism (return to incarceration).

The Reentry Readiness Act would strengthen the Department of Corrections’ ability to support individuals transitioning out of custody by helping them secure essential identification documents, including state IDs, and providing a minimum $100 release allowance free from deductions.

A valid ID is not a luxury—it is a necessity. Without one, people face immediate barriers to employment, housing, healthcare, and stability. Employment remains one of the strongest protective factors against recidivism, and access to identification is often the very first step toward maintaining freedom and building a successful reentry journey.

To make this real, Governor Polis needs to say YES and sign it into law! You can help by calling (or emailing) Governor Polis to ask him to make this bill a law.

Take action to make a change!

What is a Breakthrough Moment?

It is a point in time when our participants let go of the anchors that have been holding them back and constricting their worldviews. The Breakthrough Moment is powerful. During quiet reflection, at an event, in the midst of a conversation, or upon entering the Breakthrough classroom, our participants experience this transformation and make strides in their growth. The Moment is different for everyone, but its impact is always profound.

We’re honored to facilitate moments like this. Want to get involved? Volunteer with us!

🗓️ Sign up: https://timetobreakthrough.org/get-involved/